Before God

**With nods to my friend Greybeard… if you shed an easy tear… well, fair warning.**

One of the secrets that I mentioned earlier has come to pass.

Remember last year I talked about Ms Samantha and her potential illness?  Remember that she had written a blog post of her own about that life threatening sickness and how she was dealing with it?

Since that time things have changed greatly for Sam.

She became a senior in high school with only a single class remaining so she took some time off and studied on her own to pass that course under tutelage of a friend. (The friend is a registered homeschooler so it’s all legal and such).  She completed her "Senior Year” in a little under three months.   When Sam wrote her post she was enrolled in a magnet school.  She fought to get into that school and then fought through Advanced Placement courses.  She almost invariably made straight A’s.  The chick even learned Latin.

She got a job and began saving money while finishing school.  She bought herself a computer and began saving for something else.

Four months ago her boyfriend moved away.  He joined the Air Force and went to basic and then to technical training.  They have missed each other desperately and have spent time on the phone and on online chat whenever they could.  They used video chat for some things so that they could spend some time together but it wasn’t the same and it wasn’t enough for either of them.  Two days ago he was allowed home on leave… they’ve been inseparable.

Over the last year Sam has been through test after test in far away places to diagnose her illness.  Her parents have driven her to medical centers all over the state.  Last month, after nearly a year of tests she received her final diagnosis.

She is fine.  They are treating her symptoms separately and as minor inconveniences and have ruled out anything serious.

Today, I stood with friends and family and with Ms Samantha in a private ceremony as she was married before God to the man that she deeply and dearly loves.  I was privileged and sincerely honored to serve as a witness to the marriage.

She is 18 and some would say, too young and unprepared for marriage.  I say…  This child has set goals and fought for them and proven herself.  She has, literally, faced death and dealt with it with grace and aplomb. So much so that many never knew she was ill.  She is strong in her faith and in her relationship with God.  She is fond of reminding folks that she earned that white dress. She is a woman. An amazing, shy, bright, sweet, honest, devout Christian woman.  She is more capable than many women twice her age.  She is more capable than some women will ever be.

My only prayer is this:

God help the poor boy.  He knows not where he treads.

Celebrate with them this young life full of miracles: